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During the Engineering Interview:
This is your time!

During the
Engineering Interview: This is your time!

During the Engineering Interview

Right, this is what it’s all about! As mentioned earlier your preparation will have included getting to the location on time, appropriate dress and potentially a technical portfolio. In addition, bring a few extra copies of your CV in case they need to be distributed to other panel interviewers.

Double check your interview time and place, paying special attention to where you need to report to and who will meet you. If planned correctly, you’ll probably turn up a little early. Don’t be tempted to go in just yet. Instead report in exactly when requested.

Be
aware of the impression you make from the moment you start meeting people. Give
a firm hand shake and maintain eye contact. Consciously smile and be pleasant.
Partake in small talk, typically about the journey. Stay positive. Laugh at
their jokes! Be aware of your body language. Ensure it portrays someone who is
interested and enthusiastic. All this is important in building rapport.

Before
you get into the technical detail and content of the interview, you can actively
demonstrate to your interviewer(s) you get along with people. In addition you
are comfortable with their employees and are a good match for the company
culture. ‘Having a hunch’ about an individual is surprisingly a common recruitment
criteria (along with others) used by senior managers. You need to put yourself
in a place where those interviewing you get a positive vibe about you. Creating
an affinity is a central part of this.

Attempt
to relax as much as possible. This is often easier said than done, but consider
concentrating on one thing at a time (the questions) rather everything else
swirling around in your mind. Attempt to reduce anxiety by concentrating on
slow, calm, controlled breathing. Concentrate on listening carefully,
smiling and nodding to show agreement. Think about the interview as a
conversation – nothing more.

You’ll
soon be into the core business of the interview – answering questions about your
experiences, skills and competencies. This is where your preparation should
come into its own. Listen carefully to any questions. If you are unsure what
the interviewer is requesting, politely ask them to repeat or clarify. This
also buys you time to better formulate your answers.

If
you have prepared well the likelihood is you’ll be more comfortable and
confident answering questions. You should be able to skilfully articulate why
your key strengths match the attributes of the position. Strong preparation
should make sure interview questions quickly jog your memory and leave the
answers on the tip of your tongue. This should ensure your answers sound
natural and confident. Feeling comfortable and relaxed will also open up your
mind, assisting your ability to quickly retrieve answers.

You’ll know what a
good answer feels like. Once you get into a rhythm, providing a stream of good
answers, you’ll feel your confidence increase. This should further relax
you and feed into more solid answers.

When
answering questions ensure you speak clearly. Maintain eye contact with
the person asking the question, but be sure to periodically acknowledge any
others in a panel interview. It goes without saying, but be honest when
answering questions. As mentioned in an earlier section, the thought of being
caught out at this stage doesn’t bear thinking about.

A good pattern to get into is...

Listen carefully
to the question, absorbing and fully understanding what they are
requesting.

Describe the
impact and the eventual outcome that resulted from your contribution.

Remember,
ideally the interview should be more like a conversation. As such, in a
conversation you would not give one word answers. Avoid these during the interview
too. Even if the core point the interviewer is seeking can be summarised with
one word, be prepared to elaborate and engage with them. Use the opportunity to
substantiate your answer with proof.

Throughout
the interview the importance of maintaining interest, enthusiasm and rapport
can not be underestimated. You need to connect with them as people, as well
as demonstrate you are technically exceptional. Maintain this to the end of
the interview, including eye contact and a firm hand shake just before you
leave.

If there is such a shortage of engineers, why aren’t engineering salaries shooting through the roof? What do you think?

We constantly hear about the skills shortage in engineering and high-end manufacturing? Well according to the laws of supply and demand, a shortage of anything should increase its value. So why aren’t engineering salaries sky rocketing as a result? Or are they? What do you think?

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